2009

04 June 2009

Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies has spelled out the challenges of getting about in rural West Wales.

Speaking at the AGM of the Preseli Rural Transport Association, he outlined the difficulties of travelling around the area by bus and train. Mr Davies said he was lobbying the Welsh Assembly Government to implement the recommendations of the Jacobs Report which included adding another five rail services a day to Fishguard.

"Arriva Trains Wales and others have seen an increase in passengers of 13 per cent per year over the past five years, where services have been reintroduced," he told the AGM at Café Beca.

25 May 2009

Residents angry that a "community" woodland was bought with half a million pounds of public money are holding a public meeting to discuss the issue.

The Ffynone and Cilgwyn woodlands near Boncath were bought by the Growing Heart Workers Co‐operative two years ago.

The purchase was funded by a £500,000 grant given to them under the Cydcoed scheme managed by the Forestry Commission for Wales (FCW). But local residents are angry that they weren't consulted before the woods were bought by the co‐operative "for community use" and so they took their grievances to local AM Paul Davies.

22 May 2009

WELSH Conservatives are looking into introducing a programme of 'Free Schools' or academies in Wales. In a keynote speech today, the Leader of the Official Opposition Nick Bourne will unveil the party's plans to reform the Welsh education system.

After ten years of Labour Assembly Governments, it is clear the education system has fallen into a desperate state.

20 May 2009

Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) has admitted failing to safeguard the future of a "community" woodland near Boncath which was bought by a co‐operative with a half million pounds' worth of public money.

The Growing Heart Workers Co‐operative was given the money under the Cydcoed scheme, managed by the Forestry Commission Wales, to buy Ffynone and Cilgwyn woodlands just over two years ago.

The group will be monitored by the FCW for the next 20 years to ensure that commitments are met. If they aren't, then the co‐operative could be forced to hand some of the grant money back.

14 May 2009

Preseli Pembrokeshire Assembly Member Paul Davies has given a cautious welcome to a stay of execution for Pembrokeshire's Community Health Council (CHC).

Welsh Health Minister Edwina Hart, has announced that instead of merging the local CHC with its counterparts in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, all three should be allowed to develop proposals for working together.

08 May 2009

A Haverfordwest inventor so impressed local AM Paul Davies with his business idea that he's backing him all the way.

Andrew Reason spent 12 years perfecting the Reason washing machine which loads via a pullout drawer, takes twice the amount of washing of a normal machine and yet uses just a fraction of the power and water.

06 May 2009

Twenty per cent of all the responses to the Wales‐wide consultation on the merger of Community Health Councils (CHCs) have come from Pembrokeshire, proving the strength of feeling on the issue, says local AM Paul Davies.

The Welsh Assembly Government plans to scrap Pembrokeshire CHC and merge it with Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire's health watchdogs. The consultation into the proposals has just finished and despite all 19 CHCs in Wales being under threat by far the most responses have come from West Wales.

02 May 2009

Shadow Welsh Education Minister Paul Davies has expressed fears that Pembrokeshire's 6th formers may lose out if post 16 education in the County is reorganised.

The Preseli Pembrokeshire Assembly Member is seeking reassurances that youngsters studying at the County's schools won't be penalised under Government plans to change the way sixth forms and colleges operate.

"The Welsh Assembly Government has said it wants to "promote greater joint working and integration between schools and further education institutions", explained Mr Davies.